Maharashtra FDA cracks down on repackaged expired food; proof of disposal now mandatory
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in Maharashtra has issued a fresh order aimed at curbing the sale and repackaging of expired and spoiled food items, Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said at a press conference on Friday.
Mr. Mundhe said that instead of being destroyed properly, stale and expired food products are often "disposed of only on paper". Some agents take back such goods, repack them and sell them to citizens, he said. In some cases, even the production dates printed on packets are manipulated to make old stock appear fresh.
Under the new order, companies will have to provide proof of proper disposal of expired, spoiled or returned food items. Businesses must also obtain a certificate of destruction from disposal agencies registered with the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB). Officials said the requirement is meant to create a verifiable record, so that stock cannot simply disappear on paper and reappear on shop shelves.
Mr. Mundhe said the department has been conducting operations across the State over the past few days. Two cases have been registered so far, and adulterated food worth ₹5 crore has been seized.
In Bhiwandi, the FDA seized stocks worth ₹80,000 and ₹26 lakh from Gulzar Nagar during a crackdown on illegal activities. Similar operations were carried out in the Vadpe region, Padgha and Ambarnath. The licences of those found carrying out illegal activities have been suspended.
A total of ten such operations have been carried out, in which 32 people, including company owners, have been named as accused. The department has not announced any convictions in these cases. Under Indian law, every accused person is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Separately, 22 compliance orders have been issued for various sectors, including hotels, milk and dairy products, edible oils and school nutrition. The orders are intended to clarify the rules that businesses in these sectors must follow.
The move comes amid wider concern about food safety in the State. India's food safety framework is governed by the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, which prohibits the manufacture, storage, distribution and sale of expired, substandard or adulterated food. Enforcement is carried out by State food safety commissioners and their officers, with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) setting standards and coordinating between States.
Repackaging expired food can conceal spoilage and expose consumers to food-borne illness, particularly in the case of dairy products, edible oils and packaged snacks. Because reuse of returned stock is often difficult to detect from the outside of a packet, officials said the paper trail created under the new order would help inspectors trace what happens to unsold and returned consignments.
Consumer advocates have long argued that proper disposal records are one of the simplest ways to close the gap between what companies report and what actually reaches the market. The department has urged citizens to check manufacturing and expiry dates carefully, retain purchase bills, and report suspected adulteration or relabelling to the local FDA office or through its grievance channels.
The FDA has not specified a deadline for businesses to begin submitting destruction certificates, and it was not immediately clear how the order will be enforced in the case of small retailers and distributors. The department said further details on compliance and inspections would be issued in the coming weeks.
